Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1887-05-07

chain gang and the guard into the great
est excitement.
What was the matterf Had Dick
Macon fired upon Joe In the net Of escap-
ingf Had Joe wrested the musket from
Dick and shot himi These were the
questions asked among the convicts. The
affair was explained In moment.
Dick Macon made his appearance, run
ming at full speed He was almost
breathless when he came into the gang Of
prisoners.
~ had to kill him, +" he gusped. 'Iwas
sorry enough to have TO do it, but he
turned on me all Of sudden with big
stone in his hand, and If had been q sec
ond later he would have killed me-"
Some Of the prisoners murmured ut this
statement, but the ominous ''click'' of
the muskets quieted them, and after q
brief consultation trusty was dispatched
to the house to inform Col. Clay of the nc
currence.
Tho wealthy convict lessee swore
roundly at first, but after little reflection
he said:
Spy jovei I'm glad the fellows gone.
He was heap of trouble--u pow'ful sight
of trouble-couldn' do fair days work,
and always stirring the other men to
mutiny-it's the best thing that could
have happened"
The trusty returned to the field bearing
from Col. Clay the laconic message, ''Its
all right" and the work of the day went
on rs usual.
When the prisoners knocked off work at
shutdown they were marched to the stock
ade in which they were always penned up
at night, and two men were sent out with
q guard to bury the dead man.
No coroner's inquest was held. 1t was
not likely that anybody would raise stir
oyer so trifling aR event as the shooting Of
a chain gang malefactor. A grave was
hastily dug near the place where the body
lay, and the carcass was dumped into O
hole and covered over with dirt.
In week the affair was forgotten.
Matters ct the camp moved on as usual,
with the exception of the illness Of Dick
Macon. This young man fell Ill without
any warning, and after few days re-
signed his position, saying that he would
have to seek some lighter employment.
The great convict lessee swore at Dick,
but finally parted with him in tolerably
good humor. The thought never crossed
his mind til 1t the shooting Of Joe had any
thing to do with the illness of the guard
and his desi ire for change of scene and
occupation.
So Dick Macon drew what wages were
due him and fitted away one morning,
whittier 10 one knew or cared to know.
u
The season at Bagatelle Springs was at
its height. Visitors who had not missed
a season for twenty years declared with
contagious enthusiasm that Bagatelle had
never appeared to better advantage. The
hotel was filed with guests and the cot
tages were well patronized. Fairer wo-
men and boaver men were never assem-
bled together to trifle away the days and
engage in midnight revels.
The gayest of oil the gay and high spir-
tied gallants who We're the acknowledged
ladykillers of Bagatelle was unquestion'
ably Mr. Richard Macon.
This young man was riddle to the few
students of human nature who occasion
ally made him special study. Young
handsome, possessed of abundant means
and regarded with undisguised favor by
moro than one of the reigning bellies, there
appeared to be every reason why young
Macon should be o thoroughly happy man
That he was not happy, in spite of his
bright sallies, was plain to all who cared
| to see. The days passed, and Macon was
| engaged in q continuous round of pleas
ure. Athletic and proficient in every
| manly sport and pastime, from rowing
match to game of croquet, it was no
| surprising that his time should be full!
occupied.
Nobody knew anything against Mr.
Richard Macon, and yet there was q feel
ing unpleasant surprise in the gay cir
Gle ct Bagatelle when it was known tina
the young man had won the heart and
promise of the hand Of Irene Murray, tn
| prettiest little blonde beauty at tn
springs. Still it was difficult to give
reason for this, Miss Murray was al
heiress, the only child of widowe,
mother who had came to Bagatelle Il
reality for her health, and not to set he
cap for second husband. But Maco
was handsome, generous fellow, littl
moody and queer at times, but in tn
main genial and clever, and, better tina.
all, the owner Of certain mining stock
which paid him fabulous dividends. Hi
antecedents were not known, but h
claimed kinship with highly respectabl
families well known to the social world
and no one questioned his story.
1t was the last night of Irene Murray
stay at Bagatelle. On the morrow she an
her mother were TO return home. Tn
two lovers had much to say to each Other
and they preferred to say it away fror
the glare of the ballroom, and away froI
the sounds of flying feet and the waterin
place band
AS they promenaded on the spaciou
piazza of the hotel Irene said, as her 10y
ing eyes rested upon the handsome fac
of her escort:
''Now, Richard, dear, you will follo'
us soonS'
I'm ten days at farthest, my darling
answered Richard. ~ am waiting for
business letter which may call me to Me-
York, but even in that case my stay wi
be short, and you will see me before 20
have begun to miss me-. +"
"Richard,n said the fair girl with
tinge of melancholy in her tone, ''there
only one thing needed to make me PEE
fectly happy"
"Ha! har' laughed Richard, ''yo
, would have the old lady view me wit
more favorable eyes"
"That is just it, was the earnest III
swer. 'Mamma is all have left and
do desire to please her, and yet her prejl
diees are so unreasonable.
''Of course think SO, as they are le'
: | al. Il. a